Digital

Sheila Pratschke to head up Arts Council

Sheila Pratschke has been announced as the new chairperson designate of the Arts Council.

Her position will be confirmed following an appearance before an Oireachtas committee at a future date.

Ms Pratschke was director of Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris from to 2007 to 2013, and is a former director of both the Tyrone Guthrie Centre, from 2001 to 2007, and the Irish Film Institute.

Five new members of the council have also been announced by Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan: Éimear O'Connor, Monica Spencer, Miriam Dunne, Brian Maguire and Joan Sheehy.

Mr Deenihan said: "I am delighted to announce the new Chairperson designate and members of the Arts Council.

"Across the range of art forms - from architecture to the visual arts - the Arts Council plays an extremely important role in supporting individual artists and arts organisations in their work.

"The arts sector - like every sector in Ireland - has had a challenging time in recent years. The Chairperson designate and new members have a wealth of experience which will benefit the development of the arts in Ireland into the future."